Botswana

Experience Botswana – on land, on the water and from the air. Discover Botswana’s gems: untouched natural paradises, endless open spaces and fascinating wildlife. A safari in Botswana satisfies your thirst for adventure and comfort alike. Luxurious lodges and tented camps await you, along with unique encounters with wildlife and plants.

Botswana, a country of varied landscapes, is one of the leading destinations for safaris and travel. Here savannah, bush and swamp meet, and the country’s endless expanses are home to the largest free-roaming herds of animals in Southern Africa. Botswana’s great river systems guarantee first-class wildlife viewing and can usually only be reached by light aircraft. The famous national parks and game reserves of Moremi, Savuti, Linyanti and Central Kalahari, Nxai Pan and Makgadikgadi are home to a rich variety of wildlife and huge herds. The Chobe region is also one of the most extraordinary protected areas. Named after the Chobe River, the national park is Botswana’s second largest. The Chobe is without doubt one of Africa’s most beautiful rivers, and the national park is known for one of the largest elephant populations in the world. Alongside giraffes, hippos, big cats, buffalo and antelopes, it is home to more than 400 bird species. Trips to Botswana are very popular with ornithologists for birdwatching. The Victoria Falls in the north are ideal to combine with a trip to Botswana. Botswana is bordered by Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa; most of the south of the country is taken up by the Kalahari semi-desert. Combining a trip to Namibia and Botswana is very popular.

Okavango Delta
The fascinating Okavango Delta is an outstanding example of these unique ecosystems. The Okavango rises in Angola and fans out across Botswana into countless channels. The many large waterways are not only a lifeline for numerous animals but also ideal for boat safaris in the traditional dugout canoe, the mokoro. Depending on the water level, mokoro excursions offer particularly memorable safaris from a fascinating perspective. The delta is home to a number of exclusive safari camps with access to private concessions – a dream destination for safari lovers, far from mass tourism.

Chief's Island
If you have the chance, be sure to visit Chief's Island, an island in the heart of the Okavango Delta that is famous for its abundant wildlife and its exclusivity. It is considered a stronghold of predators and is rightly described as one of the best places for safaris in Southern Africa. Only a few have been granted the special right to build a lodge on the island. Chief's Camp by Sanctuary, as well as Little Mombo and Mombo Camp by Wilderness Safaris, are among Botswana’s most famous lodges.

Chobe National Park
Chobe National Park lies in north-western Botswana and is the country’s third-largest national park, with the highest density of wildlife on the African continent. Its elephant population (approx. 80,000) is enormous. The park comprises several vegetation zones and is named after the Chobe River, which forms its northern boundary. Chobe National Park encompasses four ecosystems: the Chobe Riverfront with its floodplains and dense teak forests, the Savute region in the west, the Linyanti Swamps in the north-west and, in between, the hot, dry areas of the Nogatsaa region. The wooded area in the north of the country, crossed by the Linyanti River, is particularly rich in species and wildlife thanks to its year-round network of waterways.

Central Kalahari Game Reserve
Covering 52,800 km2, the Central Kalahari is one of the five largest nature reserves in the world. The flora and fauna of this savannah landscape have been preserved in an almost paradisiacal state over the past decades. The endless expanse of the Kalahari, the complete solitude and the silence of the landscape make a stay here an unforgettable experience. In this remote setting, it is above all the roar of one of the roughly 600 still legendary Kalahari lions, the black-maned lions, that captures everyone’s attention. Besides wildlife encounters, the Central Kalahari also offers insights into San culture. For a long time the reserve was regarded as the refuge of the last descendants of the Bushmen, who live as hunter-gatherers.

Makgadikgadi National Park
Covering an area of 12,000 km2, the Makgadikgadi Pans are the largest group of salt pans in the world. Some 200,000 years ago one of Africa’s largest lakes stretched across this region, and it has gradually dried up ever since. In the rainy season from December to March the pan fills up, and small lakes and lagoons form in the hollows outside the basin. Thousands of animals then follow the water of the Okavango and its tributaries into the region on their annual migration. Another highlight is the thousands-of-years-old Chapman's Baobab. A night in the middle of the endless salt desert, right beneath Africa’s sparkling starry sky, is an unforgettable experience.

Nxai Pan National Park
Covering 2100 km2, Nxai Pan National Park is part of the vast Makgadikgadi Basin and includes several small pans that were once salt lakes. Some of the pans are covered in grass and dotted with isolated islands of acacia, while others fill with water in the rainy season and then attract the animals. Game-viewing opportunities are seasonal and depend on the rains and on animal migrations. Baines' Baobabs are world-famous: this group of baobab trees, over 1000 years old and more than 20 metres tall, blends picturesquely into the landscape and captures the magnificent atmosphere of this place.

What makes a fly-in safari in Botswana so unique?
In Botswana several camps can easily be combined – ideally by light aircraft. A fly-in safari in Botswana is an extraordinary and fascinating experience. The flight transfers alone are an adventure in themselves. As you fly regularly, you see a great variety of landscapes from the air and reach remote regions in comfort. Only from the air can you truly take in the impressive scenery. And the view from above of giants such as elephants or buffalo, which suddenly look tiny, is quite unique.

When is the best time to travel to Botswana?
You can travel to Botswana all year round. September and October are among the best times for a safari in Botswana. The dry vegetation and short grass offer good visibility for wildlife viewing. The animals gather at the few remaining waterholes in the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park and can be observed very well, even close to the camps. In October temperatures can reach 40°C.

In winter, from May to August, average daytime temperatures are around 20°-28°C with low humidity. In the coldest months, between June and August, temperatures drop to freezing at night. The Okavango reaches its highest water level during these months, drawing many animals to the delta region and offering the chance to see young animals.

The rainy season from November to March is also known as the ‘Green Season’. During this growing season, Botswana’s landscape is completely transformed. Average daytime temperatures climb to over 30°C, and short thunderstorms can occur in the afternoon. For ornithologists, this is the ideal time to observe the colourful birdlife.

How do you travel in Botswana?
There are various options, such as an exclusive fly-in safari, a guided safari, a small-group safari or an independent self-drive tour. Game drives in open safari vehicles or excursions in a traditional mokoro make your trip to Botswana a very special experience.

Where can I book a trip to Botswana?
Entrust your travel plans for Botswana to the voyageplan specialists, who have travelled the country countless times. Personal advice from an expert is the best way to make your trip to Botswana individual and unforgettable.